Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
California County
Colusa County, California
Sacramento Valley's rice and waterfowl capital - from Colusa's position as one of California's most productive rice-growing counties (the Sacramento Valley's clay soils and water availability make it the rice-growing capital of the American West, with Colusa County rice flooding in fall creating the Pacific Flyway's most critical waterfowl habitat) to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex's spectacular winter snow goose concentrations exceeding one million birds, and one of California's most authentically agricultural Central Valley counties where farming defines the landscape, economy, and culture.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Colusa County OES – (530) 458-0392 | countyofcolusa.com
Alert System: Colusa County Alert; CA Alert; Nixle; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Colusa County Fairgrounds; Colusa Community Center; contact OES
FEMA Region: Region 9
Notes: Northern Sacramento Valley agricultural county; Colusa is county seat; Sacramento River flooding (significant – Colusa sits on the Sacramento River; Colusa Basin Drainage District manages complex flood infrastructure); wildfire risk in the Coast Range foothills west; earthquake risk; rice farming and wetland management; very rural; limited emergency management resources
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Colusa County Public Works – (530) 458-0392
Transit: None; completely auto-dependent; very rural
Notes: Hwy 20 connects to Williams (I-5) and to Clear Lake; Hwy 45 (River Road – scenic Sacramento River highway) connects to Chico; I-5 is 5 miles east at Williams (unincorporated but in Colusa County); very rural; Sacramento about 75 miles south; Chico about 50 miles north
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Colusa County Community Development – (530) 458-0392
Services: County permits; Colusa, Williams, Stonyford, Grimes, Arbuckle separate
Notes: Agricultural county; Williams (I-5 truck stop community) generates some commercial development; very limited residential development; rice processing facilities
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Colusa County Veterans Services – (530) 458-0440
VA Medical: VA Northern California (Mather) – Sacramento; very remote
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare; very limited local resources
Notes: Rural agricultural county; VA access requires significant travel to Sacramento; very small county population
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Colusa County Free Library – (530) 458-7671 | colusalibrary.org
Branches: Colusa, Williams, Stonyford
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Spanish-language materials, children’s programs
Notes: Small three-branch system; bilingual Spanish services essential given significant agricultural worker community; important community resource in this rural county
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Sacramento River State Recreation Area (Colusa area – river access; fishing; wildlife); Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area – parks.ca.gov | (530) 458-4927 (excellent fishing; Sacramento River access; camping); Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge (Colusa NWR – outstanding winter waterfowl; up to 1 million geese and ducks winter here; one of California’s premier bird watching sites); Stony Creek (Stonyford area – trout fishing); Clear Lake (accessible via Hwy 20 – Lake County); Indian Valley Reservoir; College City area
Notes: The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge complex (including Colusa NWR) is one of California’s most spectacular birding experiences – in peak winter season (November-January) the skies literally fill with hundreds of thousands of geese, ducks, and shorebirds; the sound and sight of massive waterfowl flocks is extraordinary; the refuge is part of the Pacific Flyway; the Sacramento River fishing (striped bass, salmon, steelhead) is excellent; Colusa County’s quiet agricultural landscape has a beauty appreciated by those who know it
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Limited; Colusa County; California GIS Open Data; USGS; Colusa Basin Drainage District mapping
Notes: Very rural county; state GIS resources primary; Sacramento River flood management mapping critical; NWR habitat management maps (USFWS); rice field and agricultural water management maps
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Colusa County Animal Control – (530) 458-5161
Notes: Rural agricultural county; livestock (cattle, sheep, horses) important; CDFW manages wildlife including deer, tule elk (Cache Creek area – Yolo County border), waterfowl; hunting in the county (waterfowl, deer)
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Colusa County Public Works – (530) 458-0392
Recycling: Limited; drop-off sites; agricultural county
Environmental: California SWRCB; Regional Water Quality Control Board Central Valley; State Water Project and Sacramento River management (DWR); Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS); rice farming water management; pesticide and herbicide use in rice and orchard production; Colusa Basin Drainage District
Notes: Rice farming in Colusa County creates complex water management and environmental considerations; rice requires flooding for 2-4 months and drainage timing affects wetland habitats; post-harvest rice straw management (burning was banned; flooding for waterfowl habitat has become the preferred alternative and actually benefits both farmers and wildlife); pesticide use in rice production (herbicides, insecticides) is monitored by CDFA and the Regional Water Board; Sacramento River water quality management through the State Water Project is the most significant regional environmental driver; the Colusa Basin Drainage District operates miles of irrigation and drainage canals that require ongoing environmental monitoring
About Colusa County
Colusa County is the Sacramento Valley’s agricultural heartland – one of California’s most productive farming counties where rice, wheat, sunflowers, and tomatoes grow in the broad flat valley between the Coast Ranges and the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Colusa (the county seat, population ~6,000) is a compact Sacramento River community – the county courthouse (1861, one of California’s oldest operational courthouses), the Colusa Casino Resort operated by the Cachil Dehe Band of Wintun Indians, and the Sacramento River waterfront define a small city that has changed little in character over the past century.
Rice farming dominates the county’s agricultural landscape – after harvest, fields are flooded to decompose rice stubble, inadvertently creating the most important waterfowl habitat in the Pacific Flyway. The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex (which extends through Colusa and Glenn counties) hosts winter concentrations of ducks and geese that can exceed one million birds – one of the great wildlife spectacles in North America.
Williams (population ~5,500) on I-5 is the county’s commercial hub for Interstate travelers – the Granzella’s deli and restaurant has been a California institution since 1921.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
The Colusa County Assessor at 547 Market Street, Suite 111, Colusa, CA 95932, phone 530-458-0420, assesses under Proposition 13 rules. No CA estate tax.
Courts & Legal
Colusa County Superior Court at 532 Oak Street, Colusa, CA 95932, phone 530-458-0500, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK-RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses)
546 Jay St., Colusa, CA 95932
(530) 458-0500
County Clerk
(530) 458-0500
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Colusa County Superior Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Colusi County Historical Society, Colusa, CA
Colusa County Archives, Colusa, CA
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Colusa County Superior Court 547 Market Street, Colusa, CA 95932 (530) 458-5149 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
California recently increased its small-estate thresholds substantially, so check this first – more estates now qualify to skip full probate than in past years.
Small Estate Affidavit (personal property) – for estates with personal property valued at $208,850 or less (for deaths on or after April 1, 2025; holds through March 31, 2028). No court filing needed – present the signed affidavit directly to the bank or institution holding the property. Must wait at least 40 days after the death, and no probate proceeding can already be pending.
Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property, Primary Residence – for a decedent’s primary California residence valued at $750,000 or less (Judicial Council Form DE-310). Requires a 40-day wait, notice to heirs, and a probate referee appraisal.
Affidavit for Real Property of Small Value – for other (non-primary-residence) California real property valued at $69,625 or less (Form DE-305). Requires a 6-month wait.
Formal Probate – required when the estate exceeds these thresholds. California typically uses the Independent Administration of Estates Act (IAEA), letting the personal representative handle most matters without a court hearing for each step.
California is a community property state – a surviving spouse already owns their half of community property, and can often use a simplified Spousal Property Petition (Form DE-221) instead.
If using the small estate affidavit (personal property)
Wait at least 40 days after the death.
Confirm total qualifying California personal property (excluding trust assets, joint tenancy, POD/TOD accounts, and beneficiary-designated accounts) is $208,850 or less, using date-of-death values.
Complete the affidavit under Probate Code § 13100.
Present it with a certified death certificate directly to the bank or institution – no court filing required. Collecting property this way makes you personally liable for the decedent’s unsecured debts up to the value received (Prob. Code § 13109).
IF USING THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE PETITION OR SMALL REAL PROPERTY AFFIDAVIT
Confirm the property qualifies and the applicable waiting period has passed (40 days for the primary-residence petition; 6 months for the small real property affidavit).
File the petition (Form DE-310) or affidavit (Form DE-305) with the Colusa County Superior Court.
A probate referee appraises the property; heirs receive notice.
Once approved, the property transfers without full probate administration.
If formal probate is required
Deliver the original will (if any) to the court clerk within 30 days of learning of the death (Prob. Code § 8200).
File a Petition for Probate (Form DE-111) to admit the will and request appointment as personal representative.
The court issues Letters Testamentary (Form DE-150) or Letters of Administration.
If Independent Administration authority is granted, the personal representative can act on most matters without separate court hearings.
Notice to creditors and an inventory/appraisal (with a probate referee) follow, along with payment of debts and taxes.
The estate closes with a final petition for distribution.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit / real property affidavits: no court filing fee for the personal-property affidavit; filing fees apply to the DE-310 primary-residence petition and DE-305 small real property affidavit.
Formal probate filing fee: several hundred dollars, varying somewhat by county.
Personal representative and attorney compensation: statutory fee schedule based on estate size (Prob. Code §§ 10800–10810) – a percentage that declines as the estate grows.
No California state estate tax or inheritance tax.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
250 5th St., Colusa, CA 95932
(530) 458-0200
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
CA Voter Registration
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(530) 458-0380
Medi-Cal
(800) 300-1506
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Colusa County Health and Human Services – (530) 458-0330
Services: Immunizations, WIC, STI testing, environmental health, vital records; behavioral health; agricultural worker health
Hospital: Colusa Regional Medical Center – (530) 458-5821; small critical access hospital
Notes: Small critical access hospital; significant agricultural worker population (seasonal farmworkers – primarily Latino) creates unique occupational health demands; pesticide exposure monitoring; heat illness prevention critical during harvest; Sacramento hospitals for specialty care; farmworker health outreach important
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Colusa
Population: 22,000
Area: 1,151 sq mi
Established: 1850
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Colusa County residents.
